This is a very compact Bell & Howell radio similar to the Coby CX-CB91 except for having partially different band coverage and entirely analog tuning. It runs on 2 "AA" batteries, has a telescoping antenna, and has jacks for earphones as well as DC power. It provides sound to both sides of headphones when used, and has a built-in speaker. The Bell & Howell 9-Band covers seven SW (shortwave) bands, regular AM, and an extended FM band (includes American television channels 2-6 or Japanese FM band 76-90MHz). AM and FM reception are better than usual for a radio of this size, and sound quality is relatively good.

Shortwave reception isn’t as good as that of most larger radios, but I was able to receive RCI (Radio China International) and several domestic religious broadcasts well. There were also some other stations which I was unable to identify. AM/FM reception is better than that of many pocket radios but shortwave isn’t as good. Other features include a switch for adjusting sensitivity (DX/Local), a small world time zone map located on the back, and tuning lights for signal strength and band selection. Tuning dial frequency markings are somewhat inaccurate on some of the bands. This Bell & Howell is a good portable radio to purchase if you want a light, compact shortwave receiver which is easy to travel with, or if you want to try out shortwave radio without spending much.